Architectural Fitting (Gong)
Eastern Zhou dynasty, Spring and Autumn period (770–481 B.C.), 7th century B.C.
Medium
Bronze
Classification
architectural fragment
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
228606
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This is one of sixteen hollow bronze fittings in the museum's collection that together comprise rectangular, L-shaped, and cylindrical pieces. In 1973, fittings of similar shape and design were excavated from the site of a palace of the 7th century B.C. in modern-day Fengxiang, Shaanxi province in north China. Most show tightly interlaced surface patterns like those cast in this piece. Archaeologists have conjectured that these fittings, some of which preserve traces of wood, originally served a...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...